📣Podcast version of this Memo
If you refuse to be tempted for fifteen minutes (25 on a really bad day) you will find that the clamor in your mind will settle down and you will be able to concentrate on writing. ~Jordan Peterson
The rule is simple. When I notice myself repeatedly avoiding something, I commit to spending 10 minutes giving it a shot. Just 10 minutes to brainstorm or plan what I could do, or to make the very first step.
The results of this rule are fascinating. Apart from developing a culture of embracing rather than avoiding unpleasant tasks, I also internalize that it’s the fear of the task rather than the actual task that motivates procrastination. The 10-minute rule is a sustainable approach for dealing with that fear by overriding it with disciplined action.
Helpful thing indeed!